From ancient dynasties and French colonialism up to Communism and the modern era, the Southeast Asian region of Indochina which includes the countries of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam had experienced both peace and prosperity as well as hardships and wars. Today, we will look to their past and present leaders that had helped shaped their nations’ future.
Common Questions Asked
Q1: Why did you display Hun Sen from 1998 only when he was the prime minister of Cambodia since 1985?
A1: Because he was still nominally subordinate to Heng Samrin (as party general secretary) and Norodom Ranariddh (as first prime minister with Hun Sen himself being the 2nd P.M.) during that time.
Q2: Why did you display North Vietnamese leaders instead of South Vietnamese ones?
A2: For the same reason why most KZread content creators show West Germany instead of East Germany in their mapping and ruler timeline videos.
Q3: Why did you display the general secretaries of the Communist party instead of the heads of state?
A3: In one-party socialist republics, party leaders are always ranked 1st when it comes to political authority with the heads of government and chairmen of presidium coming 2nd and 3rd respectively.
Q4: Why did you display the monarchs instead of prime ministers?
A4: Because the constitutional monarchies of Cambodia and Laos are not really that mature when compared to their Western counterparts. During the First Kingdom (1953-1970), King Norodom Sihanouk was the chief policymaker of Cambodia, he abdicated in 1955 to run for parliamentary politics as P.M. while his parents King Norodom Suramarit and Queen Sisowath Kossamak remained figureheads only (1955-1970). As the monarchy was restored in 1993, it became completely ceremonial as co-prime ministers Norodom Ranariddh and Hun Sen began ignoring King Sihanouk. In the case of Laos, pro-Western monarchs (especially King Savang Vatthana) regularly interfere on the country’s affairs and there is a presence of a royalist faction in their legislature.
Q5: Why did you use the Anthem of the People’s Republic of Kampuchea?
A5: Because in my opinion, it reflects the Communist nature of the Indochinese Peninsula. Still, there is no Cambodian bias in this video as I did not use any of the CURRENT national anthems used by either of the three countries.
Q6: Why some leaders were not displayed in your video?
A6: Probably because they did not meet my “December 31st requirement” (term must have lasted for at least a year).
List of Leaders of Cambodia:
1. San Yun (1956-1957)
2. Sim Var (1957-1958)
3. Norodom Sihanouk (1960-1970, 1958-1960, 1955-1956, 1953-1955)
4. Cheng Heng (1970-1972)
5. Lon Nol (1972-1975)
6. Pol Pot (1975-1979)
7. Pen Sovan (1979-1981)
8. Heng Samrin (1981-1992)
9. Yasushi Akashi (1992-1993)
10. Norodom Ranariddh (1993-1997)
11. Ung Huot (1997-1998)
12. Hun Sen (1998-2023)
13. Hun Manet (2023-present)
List of Leaders of Laos:
1. Sisavang Vong (1953-1959)
2. Sisavang Vatthana (1959-1975)
3. Kaysone Phomvihane (1975-1992)
4. Khamtai Siphandone (1992-2006)
5. Choummaly Sayasone (2006-2016)
6. Bounnhang Vorachith (2016-2021)
7. Thongloun Sisoulith (2021-present)
List of Leaders of Vietnam:
1. Hồ Chí Minh (1953-1969)
2. Lê Duẩn (1969-1986)
3. Nguyễn Văn Linh (1986-1991)
4. Đỗ Mười (1991-1997)
5. Lê Khả Phiêu (1997-2001)
6. Nông Đức Mạnh (2001-2011)
7. Nguyễn Phú Trọng (2011-present)
Credits (music used):
The Anthem of the People's Republic of Kampuchea with lyrics from Chy Saopea and music by Keo Chinda, composed in 1976 and written in 1979.